Limerick advance to ladies football league semi final with victory over Carlow

LIMERICK booked their place in the semi finals of Division Four of the Lidl Ladies Football League with this win over Carlow.

In the LIT Gaelic Grounds this Sunday afternoon it finished Limerick 2-7, Carlow 0-8.

The win means the Donal Ryan managed Limerick will play Leitrim in the semi final next weekend.

A goal in either half helped Limerick to this win.

Carlow had the aid of the gentle breeze in the opening half but it was Limerick that brought a 1-4 to 0-5 lead into the interval dressing room.

It was an opening half where Carlow dominated the early possession but then Limerick gained a foothold. The Limerick lead could have been greater than two points but for seven wides compared to just three for Carlow.

Indeed all five of the Limerick first half scores came from play, while Carlow had just two points from play from Niamh Kelly.

The difference between the teams was an injury time goal from Limerick centre forward Andrea O'Sullivan. The Ballylanders star crashed to the net from close range after a flowing move that started in the Limerick full back line.

While Carlow looked on top in the early stages Katie Heelan and Iris Kennelly had Limerick points to leave it Limerick 0-2 Carlow 0-3 at the first half water break.

On the resumption Limerick grew in stature and dominated till half time.

A second point from Heelan and another from Amy Ryan had Limerick ahead for the first time on 23-minutes.

Carlow hit back to level the game for the third time but then in injury time came the O'Sullivan goal.

So at half time it was 1-4 to 0-5 in favour of the home side. 

Carlow again enjoyed a good start to the second half but couldn't find the scores to punish Limerick.

Dual player Roisin Ambrose was introduced at half time and went close to a Limerick goal on 10-minutes but she crashed her side across the goal and wide.

A Caroline Hickey free reopened the Limerick account in the 12th minute and just before the water break Amy Ryan added a point from play.

Iris Kennelly went close to another Limerick goal but was denied by a fine save from Nicole Hanley between the Carlow posts.

So at the second half water break on 45-minutes it was Limerick 1-6, Carlow 0-6.

Within two minutes of that water break Limerick had the ball in the net when Lauren Ryan and Iris Kennelly combined for the Old Mill attacker to squeeze inside the post.

Carlow did reply but they then had a player sin-binned allowing Limerick to sit captain Niamh McCarthy as an extra player in defence for the closing minutes.

Caroline Hickey's second pointed free extended the lead out to six points with five minutes to play.

SCORERS: Limerick: Iris Kennelly 1-1, Andrea O'Sullivan 1-0, Katie Heelan, Amy Ryan and Caroline Hickey (2frees) 0-2 each. Carlow: Cliodhna Ni She (3frees) 0-4, Niamh Kelly 0-2.

LIMERICK: Sophie Hennessey (Old Mill); Kristine Reidy (Feohanagh-Castlemahon), Meadbh McCarthy (Drom-Broadford), Yvonne Lee (Monagea); Megan Buckley (Murroe-Boher), Niamh McCarthy (Drom-Broadford), Meadhbh MacNamara (St Ailbes); Caroline Hickey (St Ailbes), Shauna Ryan (Murroe-Boher); Katie Heelan (St Ailbes), Andrea O'Sullivan (Ballylanders), Iris Kennelly (Old Mill); Lauren Ryan (Adare), Amy Ryan (Oola), Leah Coughlan (Oola). Subs: Roisin Ambrose (old Mill) for Leahy Coughlan (h-t), Cliodhna Ni Cheallaigh (Naomh Anna, Leitir Moir) for Meadhbh MacNamara (38mins), Aine Cunningham (Drom-Broadford) for Shauna Ryan (48mins), Rebekah Daly (Athea) for Lauren Ryan (53mins).

CARLOW: Nicole Hanley; Grace Lawler, Amy Dooley, Ruth Bermingham; Antoinette Dowling, Ellen Atkinson, Michelle Dermody; Niamh Forde, Caoimhe O'Neill; Niamh Kelly, Cliodhna Ni She, Shawna Cahoon; Keeva Collins, Aoibheann Gilmartin, Sara Doyle. Subs: Maria Kinsella for Shawna Cahoon (23mins), Roisin Byrne for Sara Doyle (45mins), Oonagh Fitzpatrick for Antoinette Dowling (52mins), Amy Hanley for Ruth Bermingham (54mins)

REFEREE: Justin Murphy (Cork)